I know the transfer window is firmly locked and bolted until January 1st 2011 but I still believe that Fabianski only played on Tuesday because Chesney had a little moan to the papers. Gallas did something similar and he has the captains armband removed! We know Wenger hates players using the media to voice their own opinions, he doesn’t criticise his players in such a way and he doesn’t expect his players to criticise their boss either, especially not to the red tops. Also, I still don’t think Wenger has 100% faith in Almunia, otherwise he wouldn’t have approached Fulham for their keeper would he?
Bearing that in mind, we can all be quite hopeful that, come the day that the bolts, security locks and all catches are removed from the next window, Wenger will be looking to secure the signing of a much more reliable goal keeper in January. The summer hinted one was looming, January could just see us get what we’ve all been crying out for – after all I can’t be too difficult to better what we have, can it?
One rumour that seems to be floating around which I recall seeing in the summer is about Diego López Rodríguez, aka Lopez!
He’s Spanish, 28 years old and stand 6’5″ tall and the only reason he isn’t still at Real Madrid is because a certain Iker Casillas kept him out.
In 2007 López signed for Villarreal for €6 million, yes, just €6 Million and he was to be their second choice keeper, again only because another great player was in front of him, Sebastián Viera. Were we not once linked to Viera??
The following season, Lopez was the first choice to guard goal, helping Villarreal to finish fifth in La Liga, he didn’t miss a game in the league!
Right now he is Spain’s 3rd choice goal keeper, behind Casillas and Reina. He did play for his country last year but only for thirty minutes. With Spain 3-2 up in a friendly he replace Reina and ensured the scoreline remained the same.
Being 3rd choice for your country behind two great keepers is not to be knocked and I wouldn’t be unhappy to see him wearing the No1 shirt at Arsenal.
Some suggest his price is around £8 million, but I think that includes Almunia in the deal….
I have hope for Chesney but the more time passes, I am beginning to believe that Arsene Wenger hasn’t, not yet anyway!
Anyway, we’ve got the newly reformed Fabianski who say’s
We are not in a bad position. We played really well this season until the West Brom game. That is behind us. We are in the title race – and it is only the beginning. I am ready for Chelsea. I have always been ready. It was a big shock on Saturday but it was much better in Serbia. Now we are looking forward to Chelsea.
He obviously missed the Sunderland game!
Well, that’s the right attitude, now he needs to follow it up with a match winning performance on Sunday, then we all might start believing. Just maybe he will, a few posters here believe in him, I’m not one of them yet.
Couple of snippets re the youth/reserves
Kyle Bartley who is currently on loan at Sheffield United was stretchered off on Tuesday night during the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. It’s now been confirmed he has fractured his jaw and will be out for quite a while!
Young 17yr old midfielder Jamie Edge has signed professional terms with the Club, no doubt we will see him next season playing in the Carling Cup.
The reserves played on Monday night and beat Blackpool 3-0, Aneke, JET and Sunu were the scorers.
That’s it for today, have a good one….
Morning
Lopez is not 3rd choice for Spain, Valdez is. The 3 World Cup keepers were Casillas, Reina and Valdez. He overtook Lopez, who is 4th choice now
Morning LadyGooner, if that’s the case I stand corrected 😉 I obviously used the wrong site for my research 🙁
Got to pop out, hopefully they’ll be someone to chat to later 😉 🙂
I hope Chesney stays because he’ll be a solid number 1, and I wouldn’t want to gift him to some other club, but if he does throw his toys out of the pram and decides not to renew with us, then i hope wenger goes out and buys a proven, quality, late 20’s number 1. adler. neuer. lloris. arsenal deserve a proper number 1.
almunia and fabianski don’t really have what it takes. it’s nice to see fabianski get some confidence back, but no. hopefully he can restore his reputation and earn a move to a decent club. almunia would probably be considered a good number 2 at some big clubs. i’m sure if a big spanish team came in with an offer for him to be their number 2, he’d take it.
Hi gunner17..
I hope Chesney stays too, we need fabianski to be on form sunday, at least by the way he is talking he is getting a bit of confidence…
All still quiet so i’m off again….
Tumbleweed everywhere….!!
Hows it going all?
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=828432&sec=england&cc=5739&campaign=rss&source=soccernet
Drogba up to his usual Admiration of Arsenal. He admires us cos he loves to score against us methinks, 12 goals out of 12 games! What must be done to take this guy out throughout the game on sunday? How I wished we had Lucio and Walter Samuel in the team just for the Chelsea matches to keep Drogba and Anelka at bay….
Maybe Koscielny is Drogba’s kryptonite, you never know…
Lets hope so, gunner17 cos Koscienly did say his only weakness was lack of physical Strength which Drogba always seem to have in abundance when with a chance to goal. Squillaci looks tougher though
Squillaci is a tough old mut, he’s been around the track a few times, seen it all…maybe he can do a Walter Samuel or Lucio-esque containment job on Drogba. I think experienced old dogs know how to handle players like Drogba.
I think Koscielny is the one though. It’s his interceptions and tackling. He’s a fast mover. Hopefully he can keep his head screwed on and stifle Drogba for 90 minutes. Wrestling skills not required.
We always have bad balance against Chelsea, that’s our problem. We get carried away with ourselves, get lost in an attacking mindset, forget to defend, and leave wide open spaces at the back for Drogba and his buddies to run into. Players literally bounce off Drogba when they’re running with him towards their own goal. We need to keep him with his back to goal, and we need to intercept the ball before he can receive it. Koscielny’s the man for that.
I think your right about Kos being quick to the ball to intercept he reads the game very well so hopefully that will put Dogba off a little as all he wants to do is wrestle….! How you TB…? all good i hope
Hi Guys,
I hope you are right about Kosser and Squidge keeping a tight rein on Drogba.
Thing is though, on at least one occasion against Partizan Squidge was just shoved out of the way be Cloe, their CF.
Drogba is going to dive big time whenever our new lads go near him. That will probably easrn a yellow card and they will give him more room for fear of another yellow/red. That is his usual strategy, and unfortunately it usually works.
Hey WATH, Im good thanks.
Well observed R.A, thats what Drogba likes to do apart from fall under a snipper’s bullet. I hope Chamakh has an excellent game up front too doing to them what Drogba normally does to us
Kosser and Squidge…awesome.
Terry will kick lumps out of Chamakh i just hope he laughs at him and doesnt react………. Reports saying Cesc not gonna make sunday….. Jack must play then to keep a hight tempo.
Lets hope TV is also available that would be a bonus.
Afternoon all.i want to write the chavs preview since they have become a bogey team of late.it may be a bit lengthy so i want rico to choose if she’d like it for saturday or Sunday.
WATH The only way to beat drogba is to outmuscle him like lucio did or outsmart him like rio does.we don’t have lucio in our ranks so it looks as though we’ll have to outsmart him.
KT, I rate do it for sunday as if it’s that long it will send me back to sleep……….. 😉
KT, lets be honest if he can’t be outsmarted then we’re in big shit he’s hardly the sharpest pencil on the block is he…………….
Hola, KT, WATH. 🙂 Will be back shortly…
AGAG, hello sexy lady 😉 how’s my fav FTG..?
morning all. i am not convinced that szczesny’s comments had all that much to do with fabianski’s selection – i certainly agree that arsene does not appear to appreciated outspoken-ness. but i also think that he is absolutely determined to keep giving fabianski chances until the latter either comes good, or himself says he has had enough…if szczesny’s comments really swayed arsene’s thinking so much, i would not have expected the former to even make the squad.
lopez would be an interesting signing, but i agree that arsene wants to replace al, if anyone, so expect him to pursue someone like schwarzer. like it or not – and i don’t like it – i think the number one jersey is effectively fabianski’s to lose. and we have seen now the rope arsene has given him is.
correction: “we have seen how long the rope arsene gives him is”
WATH if cesc isn’t available which is looking increasingly likely jack MUST start.
Spot on Oliver AW has turned a complete “i didn’t see it” to Flappies blunders and purely keeps going on about how great he is etc etc so as you say Flappy to hang himself or actually come good I don’t want Schwarzer either and if we gonna buy a keeper then I want Akinveev……….!
Oliver,
I it would be puerile to imagine that an intelligent, mature man manager, like Arsene, would react negatively to a young man’s understandable frustration at not getting a game.
I think he would laud his confidence and determination in speaking up.
I remember in 06 when 19 year old cesc bossed the game at the Bernabeu against a madrid midfield composed of the likes of zidane,Beckham,Robinho.he was absolutely splendid that day.that game was his arrival to the big stage.jack if given the chance has the opportunity to do it.he has awareness and vision that very few players have which is a rare quality.backheeling the ball to AA surrounded by three players is all the evidence you need to know how aware jack is.jack is on his way to being an Arsenal great;a winner at the bridge will lay the foundations for that.
wath/ra, i now expect that any keeper brought in will be cover for our new number one. schwarzer fits the model – prem experience, advanced age, international credentials (albeit with australia). in short, someone who can fill in when required, but not considered a long term solution, and therefore not expected to supplant fabianski…
i am hearing that cesc will not be available for selection. if he is not ready i would rather he didn’t figure. as tough as the match will be without him, i am really tired of rushing half-fit players back into action and watching them inevitably break down again. if cesc is not ready, he is not ready – don’t push, we’ll just wind up losing him again, for an even longer period.
Its funny what a few days in football can do;on Monday fabianski was the worst gk in the prem lge since Taibi now he has made the goal.com CL team of the week.if he has an absolute blinder on Sunday no matter what Almunia does he will be benched.Aw has alot of faith in Fabianski,even szczesny said he thought fabi would be our number one.
Hi Guys and Gals – i haven’t done a runner 😉
Manic old day, back in a hour or so, mutts need a walk…
So do i 😉
Poor ole dogs having to take you 4 a walk, don’t play them up Rico….
Oliver if cesc isn’t fully fit he shouldn’t play at all.he shouldn’t even be involved with spain in the international break.
Ancelloti’s old man has just died.RIP…the burial is on Saturday but will be in the dugout during our game.
i agree, k – and i will be more than annoyed if he plays for spain. an unfit player is an unfit player – it does us no good to keep him out for big matches against the like of chelsea, only for spain to play him in a qualifier match.
If Cesc isn’t fit he must not be risked he needs to get those hamstrings 100% sorted.
In cesc’s absence i want jack or rosicky in there.rosicky quickens the tempo of our game unlike nasri who slows down our game alot.i’ve explained the reason for jack’s inclusion.nasri should play RF since he is a much better finisher than rosicky and he is almost impossible to dispossess.this could come in handy since the left flank is the chavs launch pad for most of their best forays forward.
break-break…del bosque has left cesc out of spain’s squad for the upcoming qualifiers against lithuania and scotland.
Excellent news oliver.
Oliver, KT,
That implies Cesc will not play on Sunday. Even if he were available, we still might not win, and the Chav lardy buts would probably try to kick the sugar out of him, and he might miss more games as a result.
Sounds like TV might not be available either. But that is the sort of absences having a good squad is supposed to take care of.
ra, i am hearing cesc will not be available for sunday. if his hammy is not yet right, i would prefer that he just rest it and come back when he is finally ready. to be perfectly honest, i am sick and tired of arsenal throwing injured players back in the mix before they are ready – we have lost a lot of important players for prolonged periods because our club seems impatient, and is willing to rush players back.
Boo, what have i missed then 🙂
Cesc not fit for sunday and not for spain… Good, 3 points are important, but not at the expense of losing our little skipper 😉
the game could end up being a draw, who knows… I’ll take that over a Drogba hattrick! lol
Poor old dogs WATH, poor old me… 😉
The dogs ain’t old Rico lol 😛
T-buzz, I’d take a draw right now…
I am though WATH 😉
jack or nasri can fill the cesc role…
As long as Diaby is kept as far away from that team as possible on sunday I will be happy…!
Ditto WATH, he is a liability against teams like the chavs….
Rico,
I agree with you and Oliver, better to be safe and not rush Cesc back.
Please pass on my “woof” to the hounds. 🙂 Do they have names or just respond to Oi! 🙂
This touch typing is not returning as fast as I had hoped. Bugger. 🙂
The letters dance around like Dervishes; the ones I want disappear and others pop up when they are not wanted. And as for Capitals ………… grrrr.
Has anyone mentioned the latest gossip about AFC’s finances mentioned on Swiss Rambles? Very interesting.
So so frustrating when you look at what a lump he is and how good he could be if he was actually bothered.
Oh well Denilson it is then……….
Swiss rambles RA is that where Senderos used to go walkies..?
KTR7, re your earlier, i reckon Sunday too for the pre-match – thanks heeps 🙂
Ooops, my “shortly” wasn’t very short. 😉
rico, keeper news is good news, despite Fabianski’s good game last Tuesday. 🙂
I am well, WATH. On hols. 🙂
oliver, injuries are invariably worse when we rush back our key men, so I’d rather Cesc sit this one out. 🙁
RA, re the hounds, i have passed on a woof, one of them is on Le Grove in the sidebar, they have an animal section 🙂
WATH, 🙂
It’s a blog which carries v. interesting financial and statistical info. Have a read, it will make you feel even better about the future of Arsenal.
Agag popped on 2 hours ago and said she would be back shortly. She may have meant her height is being adjusted, but I bet she is poring over the Swiis rambles site! 🙂
WATH, thats funny re Senderos and his Swiss rambles 🙂
I thought the Rambles were in Stains land 😉
Hi agag, i was beginning to wonder if you were ok, Erick I know has the Flu and I thought you had caught if from him 😉 😉
agag, one good game has to lead to another, then another etc etc until Christmas at least before i’ll stop hoping for a new keeper, but yes he did ok tuesday 😉
Hope your relaxing and drinking plenty GG AGAG I am sure you are I know u won’t let the side down 😉
I’ll go have a meander on the rambles then RA if it’s worth a read, careful who u woof at you might get the competition come “p” up ur leg…!
Whatever you say my lady…
KTR7 😉
I’m tipping diaby to have a blinder on sunday.
KT………… Be careful cos I don’t reckon u could tip shit out of a bucket………..!
hiya agag. del bosque omitted cesc – and i hope that decision was taken on the basis of communication with afc regarding cesc’s hamstring. i do not know for certain what arsene will do, but at this point i think the risk is not worth the reward.
for better or for worse, fabianski will get the start. we just have to hope that his tuesday form carries on…
I think that you mean the Ramblas in Barcelona, Rico. A really good place to visit, a bit like a long Covent Garden (ish). 🙂
Hola, rico. I’m at the beach, remember the link I sent you? It’s purrrfect. 🙂 Yeah, yeah. I’m evil. Poor Erick, been studying too hard.
Hello, RA.
WATH i didn’t see that.
KT,
I hope you take WATH to task over his bucket remark.
Obviously you could if you wanted to! 🙂
KT… I think you mean’t to say more chance of Diaby going blind sunday 😀
Boo how is the going Guys It couldn’t get worse than Tv and Cesc missing out well the team we have can win it just need to play their hearts out
AGAG beach n GG now that sounds wicked… Ok what beach and how do I get there…………..
What beach, where, Agag?
I hope you are chastely attired and not bikini clad like the women I was forced to watch a couple of weeks ago in Cyprus. 🙂
Honestly, I was shocked for hours! 🙂
Hola Agag.did anyone see the gk who saved a penalty and started celebrating only for the ball to roll in…it was hilarious!the same gk tried to dribble a striker only for him to lose the ball resulting in a goal.he was fuming and nearly started a fight.he was held back by his teammates but he wasn’t done;he removed his jersey and started running around like a mad man.he is nuts!if i get the link i’ll post it.
Am fine thank you guys Flu is gone KT have seen that keeper funny stuff Agag nice to heas you are enjoying your holiday
RA there is no need to give WATH a reason to run to his GG compartment.as Aw is famously quoted ‘i did not see it’…WATH id say diaby’s odds of having a blinder are bigger than yours to be actually sober to watch the game after scouring all beaches on earth for Agag only to end up with a bottle of GG in your hands…
Erick natumaini uko sadakta.sijakuona hapa siku mingi lakini kama wahenga walivyonena;’ukiona vyaelea,jua vimeundwa’.utapita mitihani yako kama nilivyofaulu yangu.Mola akubariki.
agag, you are so so cruel, i recall those photo’s and i am very very envious 🙁
KTR7, Diaby a blinder…. I don’t think he will start, he’s injured isn’t he?
Erick, good to hear from you, I assumed you were still poorly, glad to hear you are fighting fit and well again 🙂
KT, empty bottles of GG are far more reliable that the idea of Diaby having a blinder on sunday and considering he’ll be playing tiddly winks maybe your right 😀
oliver – i hope Fabianski carries on from where he left off too, but then improves. I dred the thought of seeing the look of horror on his face as Drogba goes heading towards him….
Stuff nightmares are made of 🙁
WATH, don’t know about tiddly winks, Diaby needs to learn how to play ‘connect 4’…. 😉
Erick,
Glad to hear you are better.
I had a bit of a chest infection after I returned from my short break, but got no sympathy, however hard I tried. That Rico is a tough woman. 🙂
U even reckon he could tell the difference between red and yellow Rico..?
we’ll see what happens. part of me thinks fabianski will have a match where his performance is not decisive in determining the result. such as a 1-1 where chelsea scores a well-taken goal, arsenal are defensively solid, and fabianski plays efficiently without being spectacular. i would settle for that…
RA, you never told me 😉
Ah, good point WATH, I saw connect 4 in the garden centre, it’s one of those big ones that you can play outside, that might be better for his eyes 😉
Thanks Rico 🙂 🙂 Howdy Bandit KT Asante sana ndungu yangu nikujaribu jaribu tu maisha ni bidii
oliver – you mentioned that yesterday and i can see why, unless everyone ‘turns up’ for the game you could be right.
If they turn up in the same mindset as against Sunderland, it could all go horribly wrong regardless of how well Fabianski plays…
RA ur telling porkies you told noone any such thing about being poorly so stop looking for sympathy for no reason…..! I think one to many cases of Cab 4u…….
Erick, hows you fella….. Long time no see. Rico, don’t matter who turns up sunday can see us getting battered again…!
Sad to hear that RA thank goodness your better sickness sucks 🙁
Wath come on your a gunner Keep the faith
Ok lata all, I’m off to get on a plane and go join AGAG for a rather large GG sundowner…..!
Really WATH, still no sympathy! Hah.
You and Rico were too busy arguing about who was keeping whom up all night and whether snoring was the culprit.
I could not follow the to..ing and fro..ing, but I think Rico won. As usual! 🙂
Faith ain’t got nothing to do with realism Erick !! 😉
If diaby plays he is going to have a blinder.i’m holding fort…i’m also glad clichy isn’t going to be on the same flank with malouda and cashley.that rico is the stuff nightmares are made of.
RA when will you learn…………….. I always let her win…! gets you the invite back from brekkie 😉
WATH, I’m not so sure, I think we will get a point and if Lady Luck is around at SB, maybe all three…
As long as Wenger plays Rosicky, Nasri or even Jack alongside Song, Song will get his defensive hat back on.
Fabianski knows he still has to prove himself, could be the kick in the pants he needed. Never know, all the stuff about Schwarzer in the summer got him thinking more than Almunia? Yes, clutching at straws I know…
Cech isn’t at his best but Alex is the beast to get passed, he’s always good for a penalty though….
Just have a feeling about this game, all the chanv players are talking…. They know it’s not going to be that easy…
RA – you couldn’t keep up because you never know which site you are on 🙂 🙂 Good on you though, it’s fun being everywhere – Hussey 😉
KTR7, you had better be right my friend otherwise you will be in detention and have to write the morning post every day next week 🙂 🙂
Do you think Gibbs will start KT?
It’s off Coron, WATH. I’m waiting. Bring some GG. 🙂
Rico i think clichy will start.
Rico,
You have sussed me out.
As I said, I am learning to touch type and when it is slow on this site, I comment on another site, and when that is quiet I comment on another.
So, I often have three sites on the go at once, and switching is fun keeping the ball rolling.
Well, look at Agag for instance, ask her a question and three hours later she gets around to replying. I can chat to 30 other people on 3 different sites in the intervening period. 🙂
I’m here…
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122017&id=38419387625
Haha. Very, vey late responses, RA. 🙂
KT, Clichy will start… 🙂
RA, I have, I’ve seen you 😉
But agag is a busy lady RA, whats your excuse 😆 :P:
i don’t want clichy to start 🙁
If anyone here watches the Bundesliga Mainz have been very impressive so far winning all their games including victory over Bayern.they have very good German youngsters.its amazing how many German youngsters are breaking through.i wouldn’t bet against them being excellent at Euros 012.
Bremen were very poor in defense last night.it didn’t help with them having silvestre in the team.
Ade has said he’ll leave if he doesn’t play.im glad we got rid of him.
KTR7, why do you think Wenger never looks to germany for youth?
I don’t know rico but we have just bought one youth from Gronby but i can’t remember his name.if i was a scout id search for talent in Germany,serbia and Belgium right now.
Slovakia is also coming along with the likes of Napoli’s Hamsik and City’s vladmir weiss.
Rico,
We did buy Mauritz Pelz (?) at right back a few years ago.
At the time he was the rising star of German football.
its a strange one KT, having seen the way the germans have progressed, you would think he be looking there and the other countries you mention…
RA, spot on, and the likes of ozil…
Rico i think Aw is obsessed with France.we were lucky that we made the most of their golden generation.France are still producing good players but not at the rate at which Germany and the other countries are.
I think you are right KT, lord knows why when you see what has been going on in the international team. Saying that, Kos and Squilli aren’t too bad 😉
Maybe the reason for that is Grimandi being one of the scouts?
Aw has said cesc is 50:50 on the negative side to appear,vermy is out,Almunia hasn’t participated in a single training session while diaby is 80% fit but will be in the squad.
Xavi has also been omitted from the Spanish squad.
Ten Thousand Years Later: Good for you, Erick. You should reward yourself with a shakie.
rico, I hope AW takes a risk with non French/French speaking youths too. Ozil-like would be a good start.
And this generation of French players, KT, frankly, is dross. 🙂
I think we have two good ones in Kos and Squilli agag, but now is the time for Wenger to look elsewhere. he won’t go English because any half decent English player will cost the earth, having had his fingers burned with Wright and Jeffers he will only buy English kids – I don’t blame him for that though…
But there is many a country other than France, the WC showed us that….
The young ‘uns of Germany were most impressive, rico. 🙂 ANd the Dutch, of course.
Ah, the dutch agag, did you see ‘he’ got sent off last night…. now what’s the name of the other one we like 🙂
I was sooo happy seeing him sent off. That’s what he gets for talking trash. 🙂 🙂 Which one? Steakboy, VDW, Affelay? Haha. We like a lot of them, don’t we??
I am off, rico. Catch you tomorrow. 🙂
It pains me to say this ladies but VDV has been excellent.
The keeper agag 😉
Ok, you enjoy the rest of your day, hope your day on the beach was fab, catch up soon – take care agag…
Nighty agag.hope you enjoy your stay there.
Gibbs and wilshere are in the U21 squad.
KTR7, you cannot say that… please… 🙁
good, don’t want them near that 1st team, not this time around….
why i hear you ask…. feet firmly on the ground is needed, dont want the england set up to do to jack and gibbs what it did to Theo….
Its better rico that gibbs and wilshere stay away from the glare of the English media.
too right KT, too right….
Its sad as a footy fan but due to the media we may have already seen the best of rooney.At 16 he had the world at his feet but now he looks washed up.
KTR7, but half of that is down to his ‘playing’ around, you reap what you sow there….
a great player, ruined….
Everyone gone then??
just realised, that happened an hour ago,….. 😉
catch you all tomorrow…
be good, night night….
Its true rooney contributed too.i hope jack and gibbs just keep their heads down and work hard.i can sincerely see jack starring on sunday and i hope the hype that follows won’t inflate his ego.
Night rico.sweet dreams…
thats why i am glad they are with the under 21’s KT….
jack has had one mishap with his silly camera incident, if he’s going to stay steady, he will have learned from that, big time…. and i think he will have the right people around him to tell him to wind his neck in….
he loves playing, i can’t see him now blowing his chance, he’s waited too long…..
Night KTR7, you have good dreams too, try and stay away from the footies and get some sleep 🙂
New one up….
(lol)
80
😯